Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure, for example, relates to wireless communication systems, and more particularly to load-based techniques for selecting a wireless operating channel in an unlicensed spectrum.
Description of Related Art
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time-division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
By way of example, a wireless multiple-access communication system may include a number of base stations or small cells, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, otherwise known as user equipment (UEs). A base station or small cell may communicate with UEs on downlink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a base station or small cell to a UE) and uplink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a UE to a base station or small cell).
Some modes of communication may enable communication between a base station or small cell and a UE over an unlicensed spectrum, or over different spectrums (e.g., a licensed spectrum and an unlicensed spectrum). With increasing data traffic in cellular networks that use a dedicated (e.g., licensed) spectrum, offloading of at least some data traffic to an unlicensed spectrum may provide a mobile network operator (or cellular operator) with opportunities for enhanced data transmission capacity. Unlicensed spectrum may also provide service in areas where access to a licensed spectrum is unavailable.
In some scenarios, a wireless communication device (e.g., a base station, small cell, or UE) may select a wireless operating channel, for use in an unlicensed spectrum, from a plurality of wireless channels available for use in the unlicensed spectrum. The wireless operating channel may be selected based on energy detection. For example, the wireless communication device may detect an energy level on each wireless channel of the plurality of wireless channels, and may select a wireless channel associated with a lowest energy level as a wireless operating channel for the wireless communication device.